Washing machine transmission



Feb. 12, 1952 H. CONDON WASHING MACHINE TRANSMISSION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 29. 1948 and 07v mar l' 'm fnv'enfor Feb. 12, 1952 CONDON2,585,300

WASHING MACHINE TRANSMISSION Filed April 29, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2fnz/eni orl Feb. 12, 1952 F. H. CONDON 2,585,300

WASHING MACHINE TRANSMISSION Filed April 29, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb.12, 1952 CONDON 2,585,300

WASHING MACHINE TRANSMISSION Filed April 29, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4*tions Patented Feb. 12, 1952 WASHING3 MACHINE TRANSMISSION Francis .H.Condon, Detroit, Mich., assignor jto Borg-Warner Corporatiom'jchicago,[1]., a corporationof, Illinois ApplicationApriiZB, 1948, Serial No.23,918

:8 Claims.

This invention. relates to :transmissions of the multiple-speed type.The present'transmission is especially adapted for driving-.an automaticWashing machine ortheilike, which washing machine is driven atidifferent:speeds during .the cycle of operation, namely,.first'at a low speed"during the washing period and thenthedriving is automatically. changed.to -.an :accelerated speed during the period the-washed articlesearedried by centrifugal action.

It is one of the principal objects ofthis' invention to simplifytheconstruction of a-multiple speed transmission assemblyfor automaticwashing machines such as -contemplated herein, and to'improve theefficiency-and operation of such transmission.

Another object'hereof is to provide a transmission which is capable: ofimparting at least *a low speed and a high 'to-thewashing machine, suchspeeds being produced through the medium of-a first drive shaft and asecond'drive shaft, both of which, for'the purpose of compactness,are'preferably aligned'with-adriven shaft which has a washing -machinetub thereon. In the present arrangement these two driving shafts arepreferably mounted in telescope'd relation toeach other thus eflectingadditional compactness-and such shaftsare respectively connected bymeans of separate clutch assemblies, with the driven shaft onwhich-thewashing machine is mounted. --It will' be understood, of.course, that one driving shaft will be idle" or inactive during" thed'rivi-ng operation of the other" shaft.

Afurtherobjectof"the present improvements resides in the provision ofa'two speed-transmis- 'sion wherein the driven shaft which has the"basket thereon, is operatively connected to the "prime-mover throughtwo torquepaths which inclu'de separate belt drive assemblies"'forrotating telescoped driving shafts, which in turn aresef'lectively'couple'd' to said drivenshaft respectively ithroughacne-way clutch and afriction clutch.

Still another object of the :present invention resides in" the provisionof a selective two-speed transmission assembly --which operates entirelytheimprovements contemplated herein --wi1l -be "apparent; to persons"skilled in "the art after A the construction and operation =-ofthe-transmission assembly is understood. from" the -withinfdescrip "Itis prefer're jjectshereof and. toipracticethe invention insubstantially' the manner hereinafter fully described and.- as.more-particularly pointed out in the .a pended claims. Reference is .nowmade tolthe accompanying drawings forming ,a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l-is a fragmentary .view, partly, in section, of portions of-thewashing machine. and the transmission;

Figure 2 is a verticalqsection, taken ,alongthe plane of line 2--2-;.onFigure 1,,showing;details of the control-means for" efl ecting'achangeof speed 0f thedrivenshaft in the transmission;

iFigure 3 isaverticaLelevation of the control means viewed along-theplane of line 3-3 on Figure 2;

Figure-4- isa verticalaxialtsection. of the .two-

speed transmissiontaken alongthe planetof line ion Figure 2;

Figure 5'is ,autrans-axial section of the overrunning or oneway-clutchthe view beingtaken :along the planerof line5--5 onFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of the belt drive assemblies; and

Figure! shows modified belt drive, assemblies. The drawings are vtobeunderstood as being more or less of a diagrammatic character.for

-mon horizontal .axis. BasketBwhich is adapted to receive :thetbatchof-aarticlestobe washedor cleaned, iswrotated at rone predeterminedspeed during the cycleof operation in theliquidcontained in the tubA-:during the washing or-cleaning stage, and after: the "liquid: has:been removed from'the tub the basket is rapidlyrrotated at anaccelerated speedflduring the wringing r drying stage.

The basket has the rotatable driven-; shaft ll! "of thetransmission-securedrto itsimperforate rear wall structure:C,':said,shaft being journaled in a s1'1itablechange-speed: housing: ,D- whichextends axially.betweenandis; secured to, the spaced membersoftthevbackwall strueturezE-of the tub v p memb'erA. :fIttWillhemnderstood that thestub d toaccompli'sh the numerous ob 555 "member#A, which is immobile,-.-risgsecurelyaan- 3 chored within a suitablyshaped cabinet (not shown) which also encloses the mechanism foroperatively connecting a source of power to the change-speed mechanism.

As shown in Figure 4, the driven shaft III has a tub thereon which isidentified generally as B, and said shaft is adapted to be driven athigh and low speeds to effect the cycle of operation of the tub duringwashing and drying of the articles being laundered. Aligned with thebasket shaft I are the first drive shaft I2 and the second drive shaftI3. These two drive shafts constitute respectively the low-speed driveshaft I2 and the high-speed drive shaft I3, and in the arrangementshown, the high-speed shaft I3 is of hollow or tubular construction sothat it is telescoped over the low-speed shaft I2 with suitable needleor other anti-friction bearings I4 therebetween.

Intermediate its ends the driven basket shaft I0 is..journaled in. a.ball.-bearing unit I5 secured within, thehollow housing D, and the endsof shaft-I0 project both outsideand inside of this housing. There isanend, plate I! closing the ,Iargebpen end of housing D, said plate beingsecured to the end flange of the housing and the 2 adjacent section ofthe tub end wall as shown inFigure l. fhe high-speed driving shaft I3extends into the housing D through this end plate I1 and is journaled ina ball-bearing unit I 9 suit- ,ably anchoredin said end plate.

The end portion of high-speed driving shaft I3 which projects outsidethe end plate I1 has a suitable pulley I9 anchored to it, and the outerend portion of low-speed driving shaft I2 protrudes beyond the outer endof high-speed drive I to it, said housing comprising an elongatedtubular region formed with a hub 24a, which is splined on shaft I0, andthere is a wider cylindrical portion 25 extending outwardly from thehub. The inner end region of low-speed shaft I2 is axially bored as atI2a to receive the reduced end region Illa ,of the driven shaft I0. Atthe telescoped inner end of low-speed drive shaft I2 there is a radialboss 26 which is provided with one or morerecesses 21 (Figure 5) toreceive the oneway clutch rollers 28 which are adapted, when the clutchi engagedto effect a wedging engagement with the tubular region 24 ofclutch housing 23. Suitable springs 29,Which are seated in pockets 30,urge the rollers into their clutch engaging positions when low speedshaft I2 is operative to drive the basket B. By reason of thisarrangement the low-speed drive shaft I2 is adapted to rotate the drivenshaft I 0 at the speed required during the washing operation and willoverrun when the high-speed mechanism is operating.

- The friction clutch assembly 22, which drivingly connects thehigh-speed drive shaft I3 to the driven basket shaft I0, is enclosedwithin the cylindrical larger portion 25 of the clutch housing 23. Thisfriction clutch assembly comprises a back plate or abutment member. 3Iheld in place by a retainer ring 32 and is located ad-- jacent theradial wall of the housing D which connects the tubular region 24 andthe cylindrical portion 25. A plurality of disc-like or annular frictionclutch members 33 are alternately splined respectively to thecylindrical housing portion 25 and the adjacent end region of high-speedshaft I3. There is a pressure member or plate 34, of angular or L-shapesection, which is also splined to high-speed shaft I3 and adapted formovement toward and from the side of the friction members which isopposite the back plate 3I. This pressure plate is moved at the propertime by a, swinging shifter fork or yoke 35 to effect engagement of thefriction clutch, whereby the high-speed drive shaft I3 will be rotatedwith the housing 23 which in turn actuates driven shaft II! at the rateof speed required for the drying operation. During this portion of theoperating cycle the one-way clutch assembly 2| will overrun andlow-speed shaft I2 is disconnected from the driven tub shaft I0. As seenin Figure 4 the terminals 35a of the fork operate in an annular channel34a forme'd in the outer surface of pressure plate flange 34b.

The source of power, or prime mover, for rotating drive shafts I2 and I3may comprise an electric motor 36, the shaft 31 of which carries a smallpulley 38 which transmits drive through two torque paths to the driveshafts I2 and I3. A belt 39 connects pulley 38 to a large pulley 40 on acountershaft H which is journaled in a bracket 42, and pulley 40 has atwin 43 preferably integral therewith which is connected by a belt 44 tothe high-speed pulley I9 on drive shaft I3. A small pulley 45 oncountershaft M is connected by a belt 46 to the low-speed pulley 20 onlow-speed drive shaft I2. Figure '7 shows a high speed drive comprisingtwin motor pulleys 38a and 3812, with a belt 394; reeved on pulley 38aand extending directly to high speed pulley I9. Low

speed drive is efiected through pulley 38b, belt 39, large pulley 43,small pulley 45, belt 46, and large pulley 20 on low speed shaft I2. Themotor 36 rotates at a constant speed and, by means of the belt driveassemblies, is adapted to drive the pulleys l9 and 20 at respectivelyfast and slow speeds.

An arrangement is provided which selectively controls the engagement anddisengagement of friction clutch assembly 22, such control arrangementbeing adapted, at the proper time, to move the yoke 35 in a direction toforce the pressure plate member 34 against the friction members 33 foreffecting engagement of the friction clutch, thus coupling high-speeddriving shaft I3 to the driven shaft III. The arrangement for operatingthe fork 35 to cause it to moveinto different positions for effectingengagement and disengagement of the friction clutch may comprise asolenoid 41, the core 48 of which is coupled at one end to the proximateend of a reciprocable rod 49, the opposite end portion of said rod beingguided in an aperture in the wall of an extension D of transmissionhousing D. This rod 49 has an adjustable stop 50 for seating the lowerend of a compressible spring 5I, and the upper end of said springengages a flanged collar 52 to yieldably urge said collar against a stoppin 53. A bell crank fulcrumed on a pivot 54 has its furcated arm 55engaged with the flange on collar 52, and the other arm 56 of this bellcrank has a trunnion 51 operat- .ing in a radial elongated slot 58 whichis made transversely in the adjacent upper end of a. clutch actuator armAt its lower end arm IQ-pivots on 'a pm so. Adjacent the drummed:portion of arm 9, =and located in the path of "movement thereof, thereis a retractable "plung- "er 1 61 which, as "shown -:in'-Figures '2 and3, carries the shifter fork 35. The plunger -6'| is 'reciprocablymounted in a hollow gui'de bossGZ and is backed by a compression spring63*which urges said plungerou'twardly against a bolt 64 that isadiustably carried by arm 59 in alignment with said plunger as shown inFigure 3.

"This renders "the friction clutch :assembly 23 efiective to drive thebasket shaft'l0 at :a high speed andoverrun' the one-way clutch assembly2|.

Thus, it will be seen that 'when the "solenoid 41 "has been -energized,"the ibell crank "will be tracked in a direction to move "the clutchoperating arm 59thereby to reciprocate the'shifter plunger 6 I and'fork'35 "and'thus' move :theffriction clutch pressure plate 14 in "adirection "to cause the engagement of friction clutch assembly 23. Itwill be understood that the electric circuit which energizes thesolenoid is controlled. by a suitable timing switch (not shown) which ismanually set by the operator when the washing machine is started inoperation.

While this invention has been described in detail in its presentpreferred form or embodiment, it will be apparent to persons skilled inthe art, after understanding the improvements, that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orscope thereof. It is aimed in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. In a variable speed transmission having a housing and comprisingthree co-axially arranged shafts, two of said shafts being telescopedand constituting high and low speed driving shafts, and the third shaftbeing piloted on the inner portions of said telescoped shafts andconstituting a driven shaft rotatable of high and low speeds by therespect in driving shafts, separate coupling means effective toalternately drivingly connect said driven shaft to the respectivedriving shafts, in combination with motor means including means toeffect different speed ratios operatively connecting said motor means tothe respective driving shafts, and means selectively operable forcontrolling at least one of said coupling means whereby said drivenshaft is adapted to be alternately rotated at different speeds.

2. In a variable speed transmission for washing machines having a,rotatable driven shaft adapted to be driven at high and low speeds, andhaving a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft, including constantspeed motor means and separate driving connections between said motormeans and said first and second drive shafts, said separate connectionsbeing adapted to rotate the respective drive shafts at different speeds,the combination of an overrunning clutch operatively connecting saidfirst drive shaft to said driven shaft, friction coupling meansoperatively connecting said second drive shaft to said driven shaft, andmeans selective- 1y operable for controlling the operation of saidfriction coupling means.

3. In a variable speed transmission for washing machines comprising adriven shaft adapted for operation of high and low speeds; a firstdriving shaft piloted thereon; a second driving shaft telescoped on saidfirst driving shaft, said first and ise'cond driving -shafts 'ibeingrotatable at different speeds; motor means "'for lactuatin! saiddriving-shafts independently of eacli other;

'a-n overrunning clutch :connection i-between' said "first drivingshaftand said driven: shaft; :a friction-clutchconnection betweensaid seconddriving shaft and said #driven shaft; -:and means selectively operablefor controlling the 'engage- "merit and disengagement of-sai'd friction'clutch.

4. In a "variable speed transmission -for washing machines comprising adriven'shaf-tya first =driving shaft piloted thereon; a seconddrivingshaft telescoped on-said'first driving shaft; motor means for 'actuatingsaid "driving shafts independentlyor each other; a =rotatableclutchhousing carriedby said driven-shaft; =an overrunning clutchconnection'between*said flrstdriving shaft and said clutch housing; afriction clutch "connection between said secondjdriving *shaft *andsaid-"clutch housing; andmeans selectively-operable for controlling theengagement and disengagement of said friction clutch, said control meanscomprising linkage members operable in response to energization of asolenoid for effecting friction clutch engagement and disengagement.

5. In a variable speed transmission for washing machines comprising adriven shaft; a first driving shaft piloted thereon; a second drivingshaft telescoped on said first driving shaft; motor means for actuatingsaid driving shafts independently of each other; a rotatable clutchhousing carried by said driven shaft; an overrunnlng clutch connectionbetween said first driving shaft and said clutch housing; frictionclutch plates carried respectively by said second driving shaft and saidclutch housing; an axially shiftable pressure plate carried by saidsecond driving shaft alongside said friction clutch plates; and meansselectively operable for moving said pressure plate into engagement withand disengagement from said friction clutch plates, said meanscomprising linkage members operable in response to energizing a solenoidfor effecting frictionclutch engagement and disengagement.

6. In a variable speed transmission having a rotatable driven shaftarranged to be driven at high and low speeds, and having a. first driveshaft and a second drive shaft piloted one within the other and bothbeing co-axially aligned with said driven shaft, including constantspeed motor means and separate driving connections between said motormeans and said first and second drive shafts, said separate connectionsbeing arranged to rotate the respective drive shafts at differentspeeds, the combination of an overrunning clutch connection operativelydisposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft, and frictioncoupling means arranged to connect said second drive shaft and saiddriven shaft, and mechanical means selectively operable for coupling theoperation of said friction coupling, said mechanical means comprisinglinkage members interconnected with a solenoid and operable responsiveto energization of said solenoid for effecting friction couplingengagement and disengagement.

'7. In a variable speed transmission for washing machines comprising adriven shaft adapted for operation at high and low speeds; a firstdriving shaft piloted. thereon; a second driving shaft telescoped onsaid first driving shaft, said first and second driving shafts beingrotatable at different speeds; motor means for actuating said drivingshafts independently of each other; an overrunning clutch connectionbetween said first driving masses engagement.

8. A two speed driving mechanism for a washing machine comprising threecoaxially arranged shafts, two of said shafts being telescoped andconstituting high and low speed driving shafts,

and the third shaft being piloted on the inner portions of saidtelescoped shafts and constituting a driven shaft rotatable alternatelyat high and low speeds by the respective driving shafts,

separate coupling means efiective to alternately .drivingly connect saiddriven shaft to the respective driving shafts, motor means includingmeans to effect different speed ratios operatively connecting saidmotofmeans' to the respective driving shafts, and means comprisinglinkage members reacting upon and for controlling at least one of saidcoupling means and actuated by a solenoid responsive to electricenergization for effecting coupling control of the related couplingmeans.

FRANCIS H. CONDON.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,190,285 Gouldbourn July 11,1916 1,780,475 Gold et a1 Nov. 4, 1930 2,136,811 Burnett Nov. 15, 19382,316,131 Cardwell Apr. 6, 1943 2,337,586 Bowen Dec. 28, 1943

